1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to methods and means for marking items which may be otherwise indistinguishable in use and more particularly to a method and means for marking wine bottles and wine glasses.
2. Description of related Art
The following art defines the present state of this field:
Hunter, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 47,490 describes an article of manufacture.
Danco, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 80,932 describes a tag for containers.
Hokerk, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 106,976 describes a combined cake of soap and support therefor.
Mazzini, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 256,899 describes a decorative chain segment.
Meyer, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 269,863 describes a segmented heart-shaped pendant or similar article.
Rausch, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 406,213 describes a bottle collar.
Nahon, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 414,435 describes a bracelet thermometer for wine bottle.
Klebanow, U.S. Pat. No. 1,971,528 describes a display device for disposition upon the upper portion of a container comprising in combination a substantially flat sheet cut in the form of the form, a score line dividing the sheet into two leaves, and a flap eccentrically cut from one of the leaves, said flap being smaller in diameter than said leaves and adapted to bend on said score line.
Brixius et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,976,629 describes an identifying device capable of being removably affixed to the neck of a bottle, comprising: a substantially planar circular plate adapted to receive identifying indicia thereon; engaging means adapted to engage the neck of said bottle to support said plate therefrom said engaging means being arcuate in configuration with an inside diameter mateable with the outside diameter of said plate, means for pivotally affixing said engaging means to said plate at a peripheral point thereon, said engaging means being pivotable form a first position substantially in the plane of said plate to a second position substantially transverse thereto, said affixing means defining a radially inwardly extending resilient leg juxtaposed to one surface of said plate and substantially parallel thereto.
Watson, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,680,882 describes an identification tag for articles and containers, which is characterized by a base tag member having an extended leg for attachment to an article or looping through the handle of a container, the base tag member further provided with spaced indicia areas for identifying the article or the contents of the container and staggered snap openings extending through opposite faces of the base tag member for receiving at least a top cap member and preferably, a top cap member and a bottom cap member, each cap member having multiple snaps for engaging the snap openings and provided with a window which is aligned with selected ones of the indicia areas when the cap members are snapped on opposite faces of the base tag member.
Bullock, U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,244 describes an ornamental device and a kit therefor. In the preferred embodiment, layers of ornamental balls with progressively decreasing diameters are threaded down a shaft and nested together to simulate a Christmas tree. The kit may further include a protective support having pockets for receiving the various balls, base, shaft and decorative pinnacle for the device.
The prior art teaches the use of decorative devices for visual appeal, see Hunter, Danco, Hokerk, etc., and for function, see, for instance, Rausch, Nahon, and Klebanow. Such devices are generally used as identification means. However, the prior art does not teach the user of a bottle supported ring used as a carrier for wine glass supported decorative and identification rings such that one wine glass is clearly distinguishable from the next. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.